Wireless router help

[frizzybang]

I've never had to get a router. Just always got by with my cable modem. Now I have a Wii and now I need a wireless router. Can anyone give me some links to places were I can research the bits and pieces of routers. I like to know how things like that work and what all the terminology means. So far all I can find is what a router does. I knew the answer to that. I would just like to know why why it does what it does. Thanks

 

[JackMDS]

May beThe content of the following links will provide you with a basic tutorial about Sharing Internet connection; it is short and to the point. The pages were written by me ages ago. Ignore the prices, and the specific choice of hardware, stick with the principles they are still the same.

Basic Options for Internet Connection Sharing - http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.aspx?i=105

Hubs, routers, switches, DSL, LANs, WANs...? - http://www.anandtech.com/guides/viewfaq.aspx?i=48

Cable/DSL Routers - NAT, Open Ports, DMZ, SPI. ?
http://www.ezlan.net/routers1.html

The whole thing should look like this, http://www.ezlan.net/network/router.jpg

As for Wireless it is a rather complicated issue since it depends on your needs and the specific environment.

For general use when No extra strong Wireless is needed I would go with this, Zyxel 330 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16833181219

More features and a little better coverage this, Zyxel 550 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/...181218&Tpk=zyxel%2b550

 

[konakona]

JackMDS,

Here is another silly question: can wireless routers connect to WAN via wireless connection? Ironically, cable I have been using is rather slow for gaming (I suspect bitorrent use by roomates, bandwidth throttling/QoS has negligible effect I found out), and I would like to give a shot at the wireless internet provided by school. Intuition tells me that I would need a wireless adapter, but who knows, wont hurt to ask I guess. Can my router pick up wireless signal?

sorry for threadjacking OP, didnt think this would require a whole new thread for it

 

[JackMDS]

I do Not know what kind of a solution it would provide for gaming, and how the Network that you want to connect to work (if it is even allowed).

But if you actually need Routing you can connect a GameBox adapter to a WAN port of a Router.

If you do not need Routing you can use a Wireless Router that can do client mode.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: konakona
can wireless routers connect to WAN via wireless connection? Ironically, cable I have been using is rather slow for gaming (I suspect bitorrent use by roomates, bandwidth throttling/QoS has negligible effect I found out), and I would like to give a shot at the wireless internet provided by school. Intuition tells me that I would need a wireless adapter, but who knows, wont hurt to ask I guess. Can my router pick up wireless signal?

It sounds like you're interested in a form of wireless bridging. Most routers cannot do this, a few devices have limited "client mode" functionality which is most useful inside a LAN, wirelessly bridging a wired device to a wireless LAN. For an external network, it'd be best to incorporate a firewall between the wireless WAN and the LAN. Even fewer devices do this.

DD-WRT running on a compatible device (e.g. Linksys WRT54GL) can do both of these -- the first is called "client bridge mode"; the latter "client mode".

Jack dug up a router with client mode features listed -- the ZyXEL P-330W.

 

[konakona]

Originally posted by: Madwand1

Originally posted by: konakona
can wireless routers connect to WAN via wireless connection? Ironically, cable I have been using is rather slow for gaming (I suspect bitorrent use by roomates, bandwidth throttling/QoS has negligible effect I found out), and I would like to give a shot at the wireless internet provided by school. Intuition tells me that I would need a wireless adapter, but who knows, wont hurt to ask I guess. Can my router pick up wireless signal?

It sounds like you're interested in a form of wireless bridging. Most routers cannot do this, a few devices have limited "client mode" functionality which is most useful inside a LAN, wirelessly bridging a wired device to a wireless LAN. For an external network, it'd be best to incorporate a firewall between the wireless WAN and the LAN. Even fewer devices do this.

DD-WRT running on a compatible device (e.g. Linksys WRT54GL) can do both of these -- the first is called "client bridge mode"; the latter "client mode".

Jack dug up a router with client mode features listed -- the ZyXEL P-330W.

Bingo, thats what I was looking for! Alas, I have a WRT54C, so I would be better off picking up an el cheapo wireless card. On a related note, is there a way to have two internet connections on a single computer and bind individual applications to different ISP (NIC)s?